Safe and Sound
by CaptainFlyingSparrow
Summary: Gambling comes in many different shapes and sizes, even in the supernatural world. Both werewolves and witches hate the vampire race, so it isn't hard to believe that a very old tradition still exists centuries later. Both Damon and Elena will play this deadly game; the only question is…who will survive? Delena READ AND REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

Ok I couldn't wait. I had to go ahead and post the first chapter. ;) I hope you guys enjoy the story! Make sure to review and check out my other Delena fanfiction My Paper Mistletoe :)

First before you start reading, everything that has happened in The Vampire Diaries has happened this story takes place right after 3x18 but before 3x19.

Follow me on twitter EclipseTodd

CaptainFlyingSparrow Productions

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing; I don't own TVD or any of the characters. They all belong to their rightful owners. I wish I owned Damon Salvatore (chuckles darkly).

**Summary:** Gambling comes in many different shapes and sizes, even in the supernatural world. Both werewolves and witches hate the vampire race, so it isn't hard to believe that a very old tradition still exists centuries later. Both Damon and Elena will play this deadly game; the only question is…who will survive?

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**The Vampire Diaries**

**Safe and Sound**

**By CaptainFlyingSparrow**

_Just close your eyes, _

_The Sun is going down, _

_You'll be alright,_

_No one can hurt you now, _

_Come morning light, _

_You and I'll be safe and sound. _

_-Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift ft Civil Wars_

Chapter One

Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as she sat in the hospital parking lot. Tears falling from her eyes as the rain from above fell softly against her windshield before being swept away by the wipers.

The little cotton ball on her forearm was held tightly against her skin by pink tape that wrapped around her arm. She tried not to think about what had just transpired. She tried to ignore it, push it to the back of her mind and hope that sooner or later she would just forget about it completely.

Elena Gilbert should know better, she laughed out loud to herself for even the thought. She couldn't hide, not from the world that was her life now.

She had just given her first donation to Klaus, her first blood donation. She wanted to call a friend, Caroline maybe, Bonnie…maybe even Alaric. But when she picked up her phone this morning she ended up calling no other then Damon Salvatore.

She wasn't expecting him to pick up, not after what she did to him.

Damon to her surprise did pick up the phone, his usual snarky tone filling her ears. "How's everyone else's favorite doppelganger."

_Everyone else's._

Elena couldn't help but feel hurt when he said those words. He was still mad at her, and who could blame him after what she had told him at the Mickelson's Ball.

_I'm mad at you because I LOVE YOU!_

_ Well maybe that's the problem._

That once sentence changed everything.

The look on his face when she said those words, still haunt her to this day. She had worked so hard to teach Damon how to care. To teach him that even though he was a monster, a vampire, that he could still keep his humanity. Then she threw it into his face.

He had every right to be mad at her. His love was not a problem, it was never a problem. The problem was she was scared of it. She was scared that she enjoyed his love, that she wanted his love, but at the same time wanted Stefan Salvatore's, his younger brother's love.

She was becoming Katherine Petrova, her other face, the other doppelganger…the one woman Elena Gilbert never wanted to be.

_It's ok to love them both._

Elena's grip on the steering wheel tightened. No, it wasn't ok to love them both. They both deserved to be loved fully. They are not supposed to have to share the woman they love with someone else, it wasn't fair.

Elena's mind went back to this morning.

Even though Damon's voice was snarky she could still hear the hurt that laced through it. She pushed her guilt aside, answering him.

"I have to give my first donation today." That was all she said, her voice slightly cracking.

"Why are you telling me this." He was in his shell, like he was when she first met him. She has literally driven him to become his old self again. She couldn't help the tear that escaped her eye. This was her fault.

"Because… I want you to come with me." Elena said truthfully.

There was silence on the other end of the line, and Elena thought for a moment that he actually hung up on her.

"You're asking me?" he sounded shocked, Elena couldn't blame him.

"Yes." Elena answered, silently praying that he wouldn't ask for an explanation because truthfully she didn't have one.

"I'll come pick you up in a few minutes." He said softly. He started to sound like the Damon she spent night and day with over the summer after Stefan left. The Damon that she had become so accustomed to, the soft Damon.

"Actually, I was going to drive myself, I was wondering if you could meet me." Elena said quickly before he could hang up the phone.

There was another pause.

"Ok." He said back.

He was there when she made it to the hospital, leaning against his blue Camaro. She couldn't help the butterflies that dived around in her stomach at the sight of him. He was wearing the same blue shirt he wore on her birthday.

She loved that blue shirt.

When she came up beside him he smiled warmly at her.

He knew that this was hard for her; he knew that she didn't want to do this. Elena smiled back, trying her best to put on her _"I'm totally ok!" _face.

Of course, Damon Salvatore saw right through her, just as she saw right through him.

The blood donation felt like it lasted forever, but in all truthfulness it was only a little while. They didn't talk about vampires, werewolves, hybrids, or anything supernatural. They actually talked about movies, music, and Damon even suggested a few books that she might like to read.

Even in this stressful time, Damon seemed to bring her to ease.

When it was over, and Elena was bandaged up, they walked out together, Damon walking her to her car.

"Thank you for coming with me." she said thankfully. Damon nodded smiling slightly.

"Your welcome."

Elena looked at him one last time, getting lost in his blue eyes before tearing her gaze away.

"Bye." She said quickly before opening her car door to climb inside.

"Wait."

Elena turned to Damon, the tone of his voice catching her off guard. He sounded confused, and lost.

"Why did you ask me to come with you? Why not Caroline, or Bonnie. Hell, even Alaric?"

There it was, and Elena still didn't have an answer.

She stared at him for a moment, before sighing softly.

"Because." She paused, looking up into his blue eyes once more. "Because."

What in the hell kind of answer was that? That wasn't the truth; it was because he made her feel safe. She knew in her heart that Damon would protect her and keep her calm.

Damon seemed to be confused by her answer, but asked nothing more.

The tension between them was suffocating them both, Damon quickly said goodbye before making his way to his car. Elena watched him leave, and that was when she broke down. Everything just came crashing around her in that one moment.

So here she sat, looking out her windshield as the rain softly fell upon it, tears falling from her brown eyes. She angrily brushed them away, it was getting dark and she needed to get home before Alaric got worried.

She started her car, looking back at the parking place Damon's car once occupied through her rear view mirror.

With a sigh, she backed up and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

She drove slowly, careful to take each turn correctly and not slide against the wet pavement.

It was dark by the time she got to the last stoplight before her house. The roads were completely deserted. She would have even ran the stoplight if it wasn't for that pesky little camera beside it.

She started to become antsy as she waited, her heart rate picking up. Something was wrong. Elena reached below her seat, pulling out a large wooden stake before sitting it in her lap.

She instantly felt secure.

She didn't notice that the light had turned green in her small panic, that wasn't until someone whispered from the back seat.

"It's green."

With wide eyes Elena grabbed for her stake ready to strike. In that instant someone reached forward, grabbed her by the hair, and slammed her head hard against the driver side window cracking it.

Elena dropped the stake in her hand to the floorboard below, and then her world faded to blackness.

-TVD-

Damon wasn't one for fidgeting; he left that to his brother. But for some reason he couldn't stop tapping his damn fingers against his steering wheel as he drove. Something in him kept screaming to turn around. That something was wrong.

After a few moments of fighting with himself, Damon did a quick u turn in the middle of road before slamming on the gas back towards the hospital.

Something was wrong; he could feel it in his gut, his heart, his black soul. His being. The last time he got this feeling was when Elena was in the hospital about to be swept away by Klaus and never to be seen again. He tried to call her multiple times but it went straight to voice mail. This was very unlike Elena, she always kept her phone charged and on her person.

He went to dial Alaric Saltzman's number, his finger hitting the numbers upon the screen. He looked up at the road for a moment, and then he slammed his foot against the break causing his Camaro to slide against the wet pavement screeching to a stop.

There, facing him was Elena's car. The driver's side door wide open, the ignition on, and the beeping from the open door loud in his sensitive ears.

Damon cautiously put his car in park and stepped out onto the road. The rain nothing but a drizzle. He tried to swallow the fear that started to form in his chest as he walked, his boots hard against the pavement, his body tense as his vampire senses were on full alert.

He reached the car stopping when he saw the small amount of blood that was splattered on the window. Panic filled his being as he looked inside, but all he found was the stake upon the floor and Elena's cell phone that sat inside her purse on the passenger seat.

Damon spun around full circle as he looked down the road for any sign of Elena, his blazing blue gaze looking through the darkness.

Damon didn't hesitate a moment longer he grabbed his phone and quickly dialed Alaric.

_Beep beep beep._

Damon pulled the phone away from his ear in confusion looking at the screen, a large no signal message staring back at him. This couldn't be happening; he tried to dial again, no use.

He spun around, the rain falling steadily now.

"ELENA!" He screamed into the darkness the stop light across the road from him turning yellow then red as it reflecting in his frantic eyes. "ELENA!"

Then pain, pain unlike anything he ever felt before shot through his skull, causing him to fall to his knees his phone dropping from his hand to the pavement below. He rolled over onto his back, his side, clinching his head in his hands willing the pain to go away.

Voices filled the air around him, jumbled together; he could hear footsteps and a car come to a stop just feet away from where he lay.

Then, a prick in the neck and a burning sensation filled his veins.

Vervain.

The pain in his head stopped, now replaced with the burning that filled his bloodstream. Hands roughly picked him up; Damon tried to focus, his vision blurry as they dragged him across the pavement before roughly tossing him inside of a large white van, his head falling hard onto the carpeted floor. Damon fought with himself to stay conscious, he hasn't spent the last few months drinking vervain to be taken down by it so easily.

He focused on everything that went on around him in vain. He heard metal doors slam shut, and then he was moving. He could smell the leather and carpet, and what smelled like…blood…Elena's blood.

He strained to open his eyes, it was hard but he managed it. To his dismay, Elena lay before him, eyes closed almost as if she was sleeping. There was a large gaping wound upon her head, blood oozing into her brunette hair.

Damon gasped slightly at the sight of her; he wanted to reach out and touch her but his body was completely limp and useless. The road changed from smooth to uneven, causing them to bounce around roughly.

What felt like hours later the vehicle came to a sudden halt, jolting him painfully.

When the occupants in the front seat stepped out of the car slamming the doors behind them Damon made his move.

Weakly he reached over using all the strength he could manage; gently he shook Elena by the shoulder.

"Elena." He said his voice rough has he spoke. "Elena wake up!"

The back doors opened then, a blinding light filled the vehicle, causing Damon to shield his eyes with his hand.

The two men grabbed him roughly by the legs pulling him out and onto the pavement flat on his back.

Damon grunted, and didn't even have time to recover before they pulled him up to his feet and forced him to walk with them.

"Elena!" Damon yelled out, as he was dragged away. He strained to look over his shoulder watching a man with messy blonde hair roughly grab Elena and throw her carelessly over his shoulder. Damon tried to get free but was pulled forward by his captors. His undead heart sank as he watched the man carry Elena out of his view through a door, the echo of its cold slam burned into his brain.

Loud cheering filled his ears then causing them to ring loudly.

He tried to focus, his eyes burning as the vervain was starting to take its toll. Two other men walked by dragging a man who was covered in blood, his veins penetrating through his grayed skin. Damon tried to stand, pull himself away, but his legs gave out causing him to fall forward. Forcefully they lifted him back to his feet.

The lights were too bright, they hurt his eyes. Everything was starting to blur together again as he fought with himself to not lose consciousness. He had to stay awake; he had to fight off the vervian.

He needed to save Elena.

Someone came to a stop before them, looking down at Damon before looking at his captures. Damon tried to make out his face, but the lights above caused him to squeeze his eyes closed. He felt as if he was looking right into the sun.

"We can't use him yet; the vervain needs to be out of his system." he heard the man say over the ringing in his ears. "Put him in a containment cell and give him some blood. He'll be the next to last opponent."

What the hell was this guy talking about?

They were moving again, his boots sliding against the floor leaving black streaks across the tile. He opened his eyes for a moment, his head rolling as he fought with himself to stay awake.

With blurred vision, he watched as they stopped before a large door. One of the captors opened it, the metal hinges rubbed against one another making a loud screeching noise that filled his ears and echoed down the halls.

They then pushed him forward causing him to fall roughly onto the ground with a groan. Damon tried to sit up, his eyes focusing to the darker room.

He froze suddenly, as a familiar scent filled his nose.

Blood.

Screaming, blood curdling screams filled his ears as someone was thrown beside him, their breath knocked out of them as they hit the ground.

His eyes slowly started to come into focus as he saw the woman sit up, pushing herself against the wall at the other side of the room. He could hear her heartbeat as it raced, her breath ragged as fear coursed through her veins.

He felt his eyes shift as the vervain induced monster inside him came to the surface.

Her pale blue eyes stared straight into his as she tried to hide behind her mess of blonde hair.

"Drink up mate!" one of the captors said with a chuckle before slamming the door closed and latching it shut.

He paid no mind to them; he was too focused on the blood that fell from the woman's throat sliding delicately over her skin down her collar bone.

"No please." She pleaded, her voice trembling as tears escaped her eyes.

Damon locked eyes with her for a moment, swallowing his bloodlust and burying it deep inside him. But after a few more drops of blood fell from her throat, he didn't see the point. Why was he trying to control himself, he was a vampire, a monster. Not only did he need the blood to rescue Elena. He wanted the blood, also why the hell did he care about what Elena would think or feel, she doesn't care about how he feels.

He knew it was the monster inside of him that was in control now, he stopped fighting against it.

Emotions are overrated, with that he flipped his switch, turning off his emotions.

He grinned wickedly his fangs white, his eyes red against his blue irises, it had been too long since he had a real drink.

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I hoped you guys liked it! Make sure to review and tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

I want to thank everyone for their lovely reviews again! I hope you enjoy Chapter two! I'm going to be extremely busy in the next two weeks so a new update may not come for a while so I hope this chapter will hold you over!

Follow me on twitter EclipseTodd

I do not own the Vampire Diaries, If I did Damon Salvatore would be mine and you all would be shipping Daurel BERHAHAHAHAHAHA *cough*

Anyway enjoy and don't forget to review! :D

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Chapter Two

The screams awoke Elena Gilbert from her slumber.

The yells, the moans, the cheering, all bonded together in one pounding noise that bounced off the walls echoing through the air around her. The smell of blood, dirt and mold filled her senses.

She opened her eyes, looking straight up to the dim light above, its glow a slightly green color as it hung from the ceiling. Slowly, she sat up her long brunette hair falling over her left shoulder, leaves, mud, and god knows what else hanging from its strands.

With a moan she touched her throbbing head, squeezing her eyes shut at the pounding ache. Pulling her hand away she gasped at the blood that covered it, reaching upwards she lightly touched the gash upon her head, a hiss erupting from her throat.

She glanced around the dark room, looking for any sign of life, but was only greeted with four badly stained white tiled walls and a large metal door with a barred window.

Behind her in the far right corner was a metal chair with straps hanging from the sides clearly made for holding someone down. Beside it was a box that had what looked like headphones hanging beside it…but they didn't look right. Then it clicked, it was an electric chair! She had seen them in movies and even in some of those ghost hunting shows on television.

Shaking she slowly stood, her shirt and jeans covered in dirt. The white laces of her black converse now stained with mud…and what looked like dried blood. With quiet steps she walked to the door peering out through the bars.

Across from her was another door, a number written on top, however it was so faded that she couldn't quite decipher what number it actually was.

She wrapped her fingers around the bars leaning forward so she could look down the long corridor. More doors lined the walls all the way to the double doors at the end of the corridor, the lights flashed from the electric wires they hung from, the sound of dripping water falling close to her door.

It looked like a hospital hallway, however the ceiling was very high up, and the rooms looked anything but welcoming. It was more of a prison. A chill went down her spine as she realized the place where she truly was, it was an asylum a very old abandoned asylum.

The sounds were still loud, the yells, the cheering, the moans and the cries, they added fear to her beating heart as she gripped the bars tighter, her knuckles turning white.

Then the large double doors a at the end of the long hall suddenly flew opened, the cheers louder for just a moment before being closed off again.

Elena jumped but didn't pull away from the door. She watched as two men made their way down the hall, their boots heavy against the concrete floor. She noticed that they were dragging someone with them; the body slumped forward as they drug him backwards from under his arms.

"Blimey mate, he almost didn't make it through that one did he!" said the one to the right, he was a tall man with large brown eyes and brown hair. He looked to be about in his thirties, his face long and covered with facial hair. His voice was a thick Scottish accent that held a dark tone that sent shivers down her spine. The second that was to the left laughed, he was much younger than the other, with blonde hair and green eyes, however they were dark and hollow as he spoke.

"No he didn't, but he ripped the others heart out didn't he? I've never seen one do that before! That was sick!" the blonde one said with enthusiasm. He was clearly American from the way he spoke, and very arrogant.

Elena removed her eyes from the two and looked to the man they were dragging, his once blue shirt now ruined with blood stains, his raven black hair a mess upon his head.

_Damon! _

Elena gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth as realization hit her full force, the world seemed to stop around her. Her heart hammered in her chest as anxiety and fear started to claim her.

She couldn't move even when they stopped right in front of her door, all she could do is stare at his lifeless body being roughly drug across the ground.

They didn't even warn her when they pushed the door open causing her to stumble backwards and fall to the floor from the impact.

Then with no effort at all they roughly tossed Damon at her feet before closing the door and latching it shut.

Instantly, Elena quickly made her way to him and rolled him over onto his back. She jumped back with a gasp at the sight of him. Even though some of the wounds were healing, parts of his face were badly burned and his hands looked horrible, she could smell the vervain saturating his skin mixing with the blood and flesh that was peeling from it.

A large hole was ripped in the shoulder of his shirt, blood pooling around what looked like a broken off wooden stake that was stabbed just above his collar bone.

"Oh my god." Elena whispered, her heart beat loud in her ears. She reached out to gently touch him but brought her hand back quickly, scared that she would cause more harm to his already badly wounded body.

"Damon?" she said softly her voice creaking as a tear fell from her brown eye.

There was no answer; she tried again her voice a little louder now. "Damon!"

Still, no answer.

Fear settled in her chest as she glanced around the room, running her fingers through her brunette locks. Her mind racing as she tried to wrap her brain around what was happening. Damon was strong, very strong and seeing him look so broken made her panic. No matter what happened in this supernatural world, whether it be werewolves, witches, vampires, originals or hybrids, Elena Gilbert always felt safe with Damon Salvatore. She knew that no matter what he would always protect her.

But this was different, something about this was much darker then the fights or situations that either of them had encountered before.

The cheering continued down the hall, and then a blood curdling scream filled the air. The cheers suddenly became louder for a moment before dying down.

What did these sick people do? Torture Damon in front of a live audience?

She thought back to what the two men had said before throwing Damon carelessly at her feet.

_"Blimey mate, he almost didn't make it through that one did he!"_

_ "No he didn't, but he ripped the others heart out didn't he? I've never seen one do that before! That was sick!"_

Suddenly Damon took a breath, Elena snapped out of her thoughts as he rolled over onto his side coughing uncontrollably.

"Damon!" Elena yelled as she quickly reached over, gently touching his right arm as blood splattered onto the floor from his mouth. Apparently he suffered injuries on the inside as well.

"I'm fine." He said, his voice raspy as he spoke, looking up at her with his blue eyes, they didn't hold the shine that they held so many times before. They looked tired, they looked…dead.

"What happened?" Elena asked her voice high in hysteria. Damon quickly shushed her putting his finger to his bloodied lips.

"Quiet," he said sitting up just slightly using his arm as support.

"What happened?" Elena asked again, lowering her voice.

Damon shook his head, running the back of his hand across his mouth wiping the blood away.

"I got the hell beat out of me…what does it look like." Damon said sarcastically with a grunt as he sat completely up. He groaned as he grabbed his side squeezing his eyes shut.

"I can see that but why?" Elena asked clearly concerned.

"I have no idea; it's some kind of sick gladiator shit out there." Damon said opening his eyes as he groaned and leaning forward just slightly.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked her brows knitting together in confusion.

Damon closed his eyes, swaying slightly in place as the room started to spin around him. He was grateful when Elena quickly reached forward and steadied him. However, just that movement caused her scent to move through the air and he could smell the blood pumping through her veins. The gash on her head wasn't helping matters either.

"Damon?" Elena said watching him with concern.

Damon opened his eyes then, locking them with hers. His mouth suddenly felt dry as he felt his hunger creep over him. He needed blood, his wounds were too severe and they weren't healing correctly.

"You need blood."

It was a statement, and that is what frightened Damon Salvatore the most. There was one thing he knew about Elena Gilbert, and that was when she made a statement or a decision she ALWAYS went through with it. He could literally see what she was thinking just by the sound of her voice.

"No!" Damon said his voice even though raspy, serious and clear.

"But you need it Damon." Elena said, "In order for you to heal you need it!"

Damon shook his head pushing her slightly away from him.

"Elena, I'll be fine. I can handle hurting a little longer." He said giving her a small smile trying to be reassuring.

Elena shook her head not buying the act one bit.

"Damon, that doesn't help with your strength. What if they call you out there again! You're not going to be able to defend yourself!"

Damon sighed in frustration, she wasn't going to give up and he knew it but just like her when he made a decision he always goes through with it. He has made his decision.

"The answer is no Elena." He said sternly.

Elena's jaw locked in annoyance as she shook her head. Why was Damon always so damn hard headed she was just trying to help him.

Damon ignored her glares as he reached towards where part of a broken stake was stabbed into his shoulder a small chuckle escaping his lips.

"Oh well that sucks." He said shaking his head.

He tried to wrap his fingers around it but he couldn't see it correctly and just moving his head in that direction sent pain shooting everywhere throughout his body.

"I'm gonna need a little help." He stated looking up at Elena, his blue eyes slowly getting their color back.

Elena nodded brushing a lock of her brown hair behind her ear as she took a breath.

She gently pushed her fingers into the wound receiving a grunt from Damon as her fingers wrapped around the broken stake.

When she finally got a hold of it, she quickly pulled it out. Damon let out a groan closing his eyes tightly.

Then when the pain started to subside he opened his eyes again, looking at Elena as she threw the stake to the floor.

"Thanks." He said giving her a smile.

"Your welcome." She replied, she couldn't help but smile back.

Damon sighed. Looking himself over, he was grateful to find that there were no more wooden stakes stabbed into his body; however he wasn't very thrilled about the vervain burns across his face. The broken finger was quickly fixed, it healed almost instantly after being pushed back in place, and the stake wound would take a little longer to heal along with the burns, much to his dismay.

"You said that some gladiator stuff was going on out there." Elena said,"What do you mean?"

Damon sighed shaking his head as he watched the burns on his hands start to heal slowly.

"Just that." Damon looked up at her once more, his blue eyes locking with her brown ones. "When I woke up, I was thrown a…. few blood bags"

_You are such a damn liar what happened to not caring what Miss. Gilbert thought? _

Damon quickly pushed his thoughts aside before continuing. "Then I was dragged out into this room with a metal balcony that went all the way around the room and then another above that. Hundreds of people were hanging out on the balconies, cheering and screaming. I looked across the room and this other guy is thrown in. The next thing I know a gun goes off and I'm fighting for my life."

. "How did you get the stake in your shoulder and the vervain burns?" Elena asked her eyes wide.

Damon chuckled "There are weapons just like Ricks' hanging off the walls of this arena or whatever, it's pretty much take your pick. The guy took his pick. He beat the hell out of me with his hammer thing; all of the weapons were covered in vervain except for the handles, not to mention there were even vervain grenades, which totally sucked."

Elena swallowed the sudden lump that formed in her throat as fear once again settled in her soul.

"I finally got close enough to rip his heart out. He was a vampire too, by the way. When I killed the bastard the crowed went crazy. The next thing I know the double doors open and the same guys that threw me in the arena came at me with this other guy. Then suddenly I got one of those stupid witchy migraines and I blacked out."

"Wait! A witch?" Elena said clearly shocked.

"Yeah, and I don't think he was the only witch there either and whatever those other two guys are they are not witches and they aren't vampires either." Damon said "They were the same guys that grabbed me when I found your car in the middle of the road."

Elena's eyes shot to his as she remembered what had just happened later that night. Damon locked eyes with her, his matching the intensity of hers. Elena pulled her gaze from his, frowning as she shook her head.

"What happened?" Damon suddenly asked "How did they get you?"

Elena shrugged, "I broke rule twenty, always check the back seat." She sighed frustrated at her own stupidity. "I went after him but he was too fast."

Damon nodded, looking around the room as Elena ran her fingers through her hair.

"Like we didn't have enough problems to begin with." She muttered her voice full of frustration.

Damon nodded in understanding before giving her a sideways look. "I hope you remember all the vampire hunting training me and Rick have taught you Warrior Princess."

Elena looked up at him then, her brown eyes wide. Damon locked eyes with her then, his ice blue eyes baring deep into her soul "Because you're going to need it if we are to get out of here alive."

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^-^ Sooooo what did you think! Make sure to click the lovely button below and leave me a review! :D Thanks for reading peeps!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'M BACK! **

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I only own my OC characters (who will come later in the story). Everything else belongs to their rightful owners.

Enjoy :)

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Chapter Three

Stefan Salvatore's booted steps echoed across the apartment, his sensitive ears picking up every sound. The creaks of the floorboard, the dog barking down the street, the child laughing down the hall, and the voice of the woman he loved speaking through the phone.

"_Hey, this is Elena Gilbert; sorry I missed your call. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!"_

_ BEEP_

"Hey Elena this is Alaric, I've been trying to call you all night! Call me back." Alaric Saltzman pressed the end button on the screen of his phone with a frustrated sigh. A few clicks later he placed it to his ear once more.

_"You have reached the phone of Damon Salvatore, apparently he is busy, so he'll call you back, when and if he wants to." _

_ BEEP_

"Stop whoring around and answer your damn phone." Alaric sighed heavily as he ended the call.

"She's still not picking up?"

Alaric turned to Stefan who looked at him with concerned eyes.

"No." Alaric said as he shook his head, letting his arm fall limply to his side. It had been three hours since Elena called and said she was leaving the hospital three, long hours.

"Damon's not at the boarding house?" Alaric asked.

Stefan shook his head, "No, and he wasn't at the Grill either." Stefan replied as he walked towards Alaric from where he was pacing at the other end of the apartment. Alaric shook his head before sitting down in a nearby chair running his fingers through his hair.

"Maybe he's out hunting." Alaric suggested his voice hopeful. Even though Damon had gone days without speaking to him, this felt different. Something was wrong, something was very wrong.

Stefan shook his head, "No, Damon hasn't been hunting for the last few weeks; he's been drinking the blood we have from the hospital." Stefan said as he lowered his head, looking down at the hardwood floor. His hazel eyes bore into the wood as his brows knitted together in thought.

Alaric watched Stefan with concern. "Is that a good thing?" he asked.

Stefan glanced up at Alaric, "Yes and no. Yes because its one less dead person in Mystic Falls, no because his normal diet is fresh blood. It weakens him, but not to the extent of what animal blood can do."

Alaric frowned shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm so glad I'm not a vampire."

Stefan chuckled as he walked over to the chair that sat across from Alaric's, flopping heavily down into it. "No, you're just a history teacher with split personalities."

Alaric couldn't hold back the smile that spread across his face as he stood up from his chair. "Yeah, I guess we all have our problems." He commented with a chuckle.

"Did you check the hospital?" Alaric asked running his hand through his hair.

Stefan nodded, "That was the first place I went, and they said that the two left together about two hours after they arrived." He replied, concern evident in his voice.

Stefan sighed softly, his heart aching with worry. No matter if Elena had feelings for his older brother Damon; it didn't change the fact that he loved her with his whole being. He wanted to know she was safe, healthy, and mostly alive. Then a thought occurred to him.

"Maybe they left." He muttered.

Alaric's gaze snapped in the vampire's direction. "Elena wouldn't do that," Alaric reassured him. "Especially when she has family and friends at stake, and even though Damon can be an ass, he wouldn't force her to leave. He couldn't do that to you."

Stefan knitted his brows together at Alaric's last statement. The older man only nodded looking the young vampire dead in the eyes. "You know Damon just as well as I do Stefan. He wouldn't do something like that to you or Elena, unless it was absolutely necessary."

Stefan frowned slightly giving Alaric a quick nod before looking down at his ring. His brow etched with worry. Alaric was right; Damon had changed since he had returned back to Mystic Falls a year ago.

They had all changed.

"Call the gang together and tell them to meet us here." Alaric said as he walked over to his kitchen, grabbing a bottle of whisky and two glasses. "Something's wrong."

-TVD-

_Knock knock knock_

"CALM DOWN!" Tyler Lockwood said firmly as he grasped Caroline Forbs hands into his own gently, looking her in the eyes. "Caroline…calm down."

"CALM DOWN?!" Caroline screeched, "You want me to calm down?! Elena is missing!" Caroline's blue eyes were ablaze as they bore into Tyler's brown ones. Her brows knitted together in a mix of fear and anger.

_Knock knock knock _

"Elena should have called me!" Bonnie snapped as she slammed her grimwar upon the island in Alaric's kitchen. The lights flickered as her anger radiated off of her body. "Out of all the people in the world, out of all her friends, she called Damon! There is no telling what he could have done to her!"

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!_

Alaric's eyes snapped to Bonnie in an annoyed glare as he made his way across the apartment towards the front door. "Damon wouldn't do anything to harm Elena." He snapped, anger and annoyance clear in his voice. "You know better than that, all of you do."

"Do we?!" Caroline snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Last time I checked Damon was the bad guy, before Klaus came into town. He hasn't changed, he's still a dick!"

Alaric rolled his eyes as he finally made it to the front door, swinging it open. A woman in her late twenties stood before him, green eyes ablaze from underneath her bold red bangs. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest.

"Miss Reynolds." Alaric said kindly as he forced a smile. "What brings you to this…end of the building?"

She glared angrily before saying in a firm voice "If you wouldn't mind, some of us are trying to sleep. So if you could take it down a notch."

"Take it down a notch?!" Caroline's high pitched voice echoed across the apartment towards the door. Alaric rolled his eyes. "We are having a crisis right now!"

"I am so sorry." Alaric said calmly. "I'll take care of it."

"You better!" the woman snapped before stomping off down the hall.

Alaric shut the door and turned towards the commotion that resided inside his apartment. Everyone was talking at once, their voices merging together in one loud note that caused him to cover his ears.

Suddenly Stefan stood from his chair, his voice loud, demanding, and full of authority his hazel glared at each and everyone in the room.

"STOP!"

The last words exchanged echoed to nothing, swallowed up by the brick walls of the apartment. All that remained was silence and the beating of three human hearts, two vampire, and one hybrid.

Stefan's breathing was irregular as he ran his hand through his hair, his eyes ablaze with anger and frustration.

"I understand that all of us are stressed and worried. This is highly irregular, for both Damon and Elena. Especially considering the situation with Klaus." He said sternly. "I understand you all are upset that Elena asked Damon to take her to donate blood to Klaus. So please, instead of fighting about the fact that she is missing with Damon…let's focus and try to find them."

Alaric nodded in approval, "Bonnie." He said turning to the witch. "Do a locator spell, if we can't locate them, then we know it's because there is a witch involved."

Bonnie nodded and with a flick of her wrist opened her grimwar causing the front cover to slam against the kitchen counter. She glared down at the pages as she flipped through them quickly to the page that held the correct spell.

Alaric turned to Caroline and Tyler who stood waiting for his orders. Caroline's arms were crossed firmly over her chest, her mouth formed in a straight line as she shook her head, anger boiling inside her.

"You two head to the hospital and retrace their steps, all the way down to how they would drive home." Alaric said giving them a quick firm nod. "Stop by Elena's house and the Boarding House, look for anything irregular, check and see if the nurses seem compelled. Get a hold of Meredith and clue her in on what's going on. Got it?"

"On it!" Caroline said as she grabbed Tyler's hand nearly dragging him out of the apartment. She slammed the door with force as she left, causing it to shake the door jam and echo throughout the building. Alaric shook his head, rolling his eyes as he turned to Stefan.

Stefan looked straight into his eyes, waiting for Alaric to tell him what to do. Anxiety, anger, frustration, and fear were all apparent inside his hazel irises.

Alaric took a slow breath, "Stefan, you just sit tight with Bonnie." He said calmly. "Just in case she gets a hit on the locator spell. I know you want to be out there looking for Elena and your brother, but I need at least one vampire here to keep me under control. You're the only one old enough and strong enough to do so."

Stefan didn't even protest as he gave Alaric a quick nod.

"I'll keep trying to get a hold of them." Alaric said feeling a little hopeless. "This could all be a misunderstanding. For all we know the storm could have knocked out some of the cell towers." Stefan nodded, watching as Alaric reached into his pocket pulling out his cell phone. There was hope in the older man's voice as he dialed Elena's cell phone number and placed it to his ear. "She's with Damon. If she was anywhere, that's the safest place she could be."

As much as Stefan Salvatore hated to admit it, Alaric was right. No matter what, Damon would always protect Elena even if it meant giving up his own life.

"_Hey this is Elena Gilbert; sorry I missed your call. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!"_

_ BEEP_

-TVD-

His paintbrush slid gracefully across the canvas before him, leaving a wake of blue against the white. A small smile forming upon his lips, calm enriched his troubled dark soul as he examined his work.

Klaus Mickelson carefully wiped away the blue paint from the paintbrush in his hand, before dipping it in the red.

"Hello, Rebecka." He said, raising both brows as he brushed the red paint against the canvas softly. "What brings you to this end of the house?" he half smirked.

Rebecka Mickelson glared as she stepped into the room, her heels falling against the hardwood floor.

"You have a delivery dear brother." She said cocking her head to the side. Klaus turned away from his artwork, the brush still in hand as he eyed Rebecka up and down. Her hand held a cooler, the scent instantly causing a wicked smile to form across his lips.

"Our little doppelganger went through with the donation, I'm surprised." He said as he placed his paint brush upon his easel.

"Your doppelganger." Rebecka snapped as she dropped the cooler down upon the floor. Klaus raised an eyebrow as he walked forward coming toe to toe with his little sister.

"Don't be that way sweetheart." He said as he bent down picking the cooler up off the floor. "Any luck with the last remaining white oak stake?" He turned away from her placing the cooler on the table by his easel.

Rebecka shook her head throwing one hand up into the air as she spoke. "No luck. The history teacher's alternate ego seems to have hid it very well."

Klaus clinched his jaw slightly in annoyance as he flipped the latches on the cooler. "Keep looking, we need to find the stake and destroy it. I will not have any more of my family perish by the hands of those bloody brothers." He said as he opened the cooler, with a smile he examined the blood bag resting inside before slowly reclosing it.

"Are you still staying here in Mystic Falls sister?" he asked as he turned to her. Rebecka raised her chin giving him a hard nod.

"Yes, I'm staying here." She growled as she crossed her arms. "I like it here, I'm sick of running."

Klaus shrugged and turned back to his painting. "Suite yourself, I was going to suggest taking Matt with us…Miss. Gilbert is going to need offspring to continue the Patrova bloodline."

Rebecka's eyes snapped to him anger boiling inside her "Leave Matt out of this."

Klaus raised an eyebrow a small chuckle escaping his lips.

"How about Caroline…" Rebecka said as she walked further into the room coming to a stop beside him. Her gaze was captured by the unfinished painting before her. "You have taken such a liking to her, wouldn't you rather have her than me on your new trip around the world."

Klaus shrugged as he picked up his paintbrush once more washing away the red paint from its bristles. "Forever and always baby sister, don't you remember the promise you made so many centuries ago."

Rebecka turned away from her brothers painting looking him dead in the eyes with a glare. "That was before you ripped my heart out Klaus, before you brought our family down to your level. I stayed with you all this time, I helped you, I loved you, I was the only one that stayed and you never appreciated it. So that promise is now broken brother." She snapped angrily.

Klaus looked up at her from the paintbrush his mouth formed in a straight line as she turned away from him, walking out of the room and disappearing down the hall.

Klaus shook his head, sighing as he placed his now clean brush on the easel. He looked over his work once more, examining the strokes making sure they were to his liking. Picking the canvas up with a frustrated sigh, he walked to the fireplace throwing it inside. The fire roared back to life, burning away the canvas and melting the paint. The burning ambers reflected off the darkness inside his eyes as his latest art was turned to ash.

-TVD-

Caroline climbed into Tyler's red jeep flopping down into the seat as a frustrated sigh escaped her perfectly glossed lips. "The nurses are not compelled." Caroline said as she threw her hands up into the air. She shook her head as they fell back to her sides her palms slapping against her jean clad legs.

Tyler nodded his brows knitted together as he adjusted his hand on the steering wheel. "So, they weren't taken here at the hospital." He said raising an eyebrow as he turned his head towards the blonde beside him.

Caroline shook her head. "Nope! They walked in and left together, not a single disturbance. I got into the security office and checked the surveillance tapes. Elena walked in, she gave her blood to that bastard hybrid, and they left in separate cars."

"What about outside?" Tyler asked, Caroline turned towards him shaking her head.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! They got into their cars and left! Damon left first, Elena a few minutes later." Caroline clinched her jaw looking out the car window towards the hospital. Rain started to fall softly against the glass of the windshield, racing downward as gravity pulled it towards the earth.

"Elena and Damon would both have to go in the same direction to head back home. Elena would just have to turn off of Laurel Street while Damon just kept going straight. Let's retrace Elena's route and then Damon's if we don't find anything." Caroline said giving herself an approving nod. Tyler smiled as he put the car into gear, speeding out of the hospital parking lot and back onto the street.

"Ok bossy." He chuckled, as he carefully drove down the wet road, his hand gripping the steering wheel firmly. Caroline smirked as she glanced over at Tyler, her lips forming a sly smile. "Oh you love it."

Tyler smiled and turned his head, looking her dead in the eyes. "Oh you know I do." He said his voice low. Caroline smiled as a small laugh escaped her. Unbuckling her seatbelt she leaned across the car placing her lips upon his softly. Tyler groaned and smiled against her lips, before pulling away, his brown eyes locking with hers. She leaned upwards and bit the tip of his nose playfully before sitting back into her seat, a giggle leaving her as she put her seatbelt on.

"Oh so now you're going to be a tease?" Tyler smirked as he ran his tongue across his lips.

"Tyler look out!" Caroline screamed

Tyler snapped his attention back to the road slamming his foot on the brake, causing the car to skid across the wet pavement before coming to stop just inches away from the car before them.

Their breathing was ragged as they stared at the SUV sitting in front of them. The headlights of the jeep reflecting off the metal of the vehicle as the rain fell steadily around them. The stop light of the intersection reflected off the droplets of rain against the windshield, the lights turning from yellow, than to green.

"Why aren't they moving?" Tyler said his voice full of confusion as he finally regained his breath. Caroline shook her head, her eyes wide as she leaned her head against the headrest of her seat. She took slow even breaths as Tyler laid his hand down on the horn, causing it to sound off loudly.

"Come on move it!"

Caroline leaned forward in her seat, her brows knitting together. This car looked oddly familiar.

Her heart jumped in realization, as she looked past the SUV to the vehicle that sat at the other end of the intersection. A blue Camero sat upon the pavement, engine running, driver's side door ajar letting the rain fall upon the steering wheel and leather seat. She knew that car; she would know that car anywhere, anytime, any day. Its headlights beamed through the pounding rain, the blue paint shining softly underneath the streetlamp above.

"Tyler." She whispered, barely able to find her voice. Tyler turned his attention to her, looking away from the SUV.

"What is it?" he asked his voice laced with confusion as he saw the fear that resided in her deep blue eyes.

Caroline pointed to the SUV, her manicured hand shaking slightly. "That's Elena's SUV." She whispered, she looked over and pointed to the blue Camaro that sat at the other end of the intersection. She swallowed, trying to find her voice.

"And that's…Damon's car."

* * *

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